Leakage current interruption formation in refrigerator door

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a leakage current interruption formation in a refrigerator door for interrupting a leakage current of the refrigerator door. According to the present invention, a ground line of a refrigerator main body is connected to a door hinge. In addition, there is a feature in that a diode is connected between the door hinge and the ground line of the refrigerator main body. Therefore, the leakage current flowing into the door hinge from the door of the refrigerator can be interrupted and static electricity generated in the door can also flow to the refrigerator main body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly,to a leakage current interruption formation in a refrigerator door forinterrupting leakage current flowing in the refrigerator door andcausing static electricity generated from the door to flow into a mainbody of a refrigerator.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A leakage current interruption formation in a refrigerator dooraccording to a prior art will be described as follows.

FIG. 1 a is a circuit diagram of a refrigerator according to a priorart.

In the prior art, a ground line 10 is configured along with main powerlines of a power cord 15 formed on circuit wiring of a refrigerator asshown in FIG. 1 a. Such a conventional ground line 10 is generallygrounded to an electric charging portion (i.e., metal portion, do notdisplay) of the refrigerator. Further, it is configured such that theleakage current flows out to the ground through the ground line 10 whenelectric leakage occurs in the refrigerator. In the prior art, it isalso configured such that a micro leakage current flows out to theground through the ground line 10.

The ground line 10 of the refrigerator main body is connected to a hingeof the refrigerator door. In addition, when electric leakage occurs inthe refrigerator, the leakage current flowing between the refrigeratormain body and the door flows out to the ground through the ground line10.

However, if a wall outlet is not grounded, there is no place to whichthe micro leakage current flowing in the refrigerator main body flowsout. Therefore, the micro leakage current can be sensed by a sensitiveuser.

FIGS. 1 b and 1 c are sectional and front views of the refrigeratoraccording to the prior art, respectively.

As shown in the figures, the ground line 10 of FIG. 1 a is connected toa door hinge 20 of the refrigerator. The door hinge 20 is a metalstructure connected to the refrigerator main body, and is connected tothe door so as to prevent the door from drooping and being removed andto open and close the door.

In such a refrigerator, the flow of the leakage current occurring in therefrigerator main body progresses as follows.

Main Ground Refrigerator Main Body Door Hinge Door and Door Handle

That is, the leakage current occurring in the refrigerator main body istransmitted to a door, a door handle, and the like via the door hinge20. Accordingly, the instant the user comes into contact with the dooror the door handle, the user can sense the micro current.

Therefore, in a conventional case where the main ground line 10 isconfigured in the power cord 15, the leakage current flows out throughthe main ground line 10 of the power cord 15 in the refrigerator mainbody. However, if a wall outlet in a general home is not grounded, theleakage current of the refrigerator main body is transmitted to therefrigerator door. Therefore, some problems such as unpleasant sensationin use of the refrigerator and doubt about performance of therefrigerator caused from the leakage current may occur in theconventional refrigerator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a leakagecurrent interruption formation in a refrigerator door which caninterrupt a leakage current flowing into the refrigerator door from arefrigerator main body via a door hinge and allows static electricitygenerated in the refrigerator door to flow out to the refrigerator mainbody.

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving theobject, there is provided a leakage current interruption formation in arefrigerator door, comprising a ground line which is formed in powerlines of a refrigerator circuit and connected to a refrigerator mainbody, a door hinge which is formed in the refrigerator main body foropening and closing a refrigerator door; and a unidirectional switchingelement which is formed between the ground line and the door hinge tointerrupt a leakage current generated from the refrigerator main body.

Preferably, the unidirectional switching element comprises a diode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description of apreferred embodiment given in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 a is a circuit diagram of a refrigerator according to a priorart;

FIG. 1 b is a sectional view of the refrigerator according to the priorart;

FIG. 1 c is a front view of the refrigerator according to the prior art;

FIG. 2 a is a sectional view of a refrigerator according to the presentinvention; and

FIG. 2 b is a view showing flow of leakage current and staticelectricity of a refrigerator door according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, a leakage current interruption formation in a refrigeratordoor according to the present invention will be described in detail. Arefrigerator circuit according to the present invention will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 1 a.

FIG. 2 a is a sectional view of a refrigerator according to the presentinvention. FIG. 2 b is a view showing flow of leakage current and staticelectricity of the refrigerator door according to the present invention.

As shown in the figures, in the present invention, a ground line 10 of apower cord 15 connected to a refrigerator main body is connected to adoor hinge 130. In addition, a diode 110 is connected between the groundline 10 of the power cord 15 of the refrigerator main body and the doorhinge 130 of the refrigerator main body. The diode 110, which is aunidirectional switching element, interrupts the leakage current flowingin from the refrigerator main body. Although the diode is proposed as aunidirectional switching element in the embodiment of the presentinvention, any other elements that perform the same function as theunidirectional switching element may be employed in the presentinvention. Furthermore, the diode 110 operates so that the staticelectricity generated in the door and the door handle can flow outthrough the ground line 10 of the refrigerator power cord 15.

That is, the diode 110 is provided between the ground line 10 and therefrigerator door hinge 130. The ground line 10 of the power cord 15 isconnected to a cathode of the diode 110. The door hinge 130 is connectedto an anode of the diode 110. As a result, the leakage current flowingfrom electronic components of the refrigerator main body to the door 120is interrupted. Then, the static electricity generated in the door 120flows out through the ground line 10 configured in the power cord 15 ofthe refrigerator.

As shown in FIG. 2 b, if the leakage current occurs in the electroniccomponents of the refrigerator main body, the leakage current istransmitted to the cathode of the diode 110. At this time, the diode 110interrupts the flow of the leakage current. As a result, since theleakage current is prevented from flowing in the door, the door handle,and the like, the instant a part of user's human body comes into contactwith the door 120 or the door handle, it is possible to prevent the userfrom sensing the leakage current.

On the other hand, the static electricity produced in the door and thedoor handle is transmitted to the anode of the diode 110 through thedoor hinge 130. Accordingly, the static electricity is transmitted tothe refrigerator main body through the diode 110. In addition, thestatic electricity flows to the ground via the ground line 10 connectedto the refrigerator main body. As a result, since the generation of thestatic electricity is suppressed, the user can safely open and close thedoor 120 of the refrigerator.

According to the leakage current interruption formation in therefrigerator door of the present invention, the following advantages canbe expected.

Even in the case where the wall outlet is not grounded, the presentinvention can primarily interrupt the leakage current generated in therefrigerator main body. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the userfrom sensing the leakage current which is generated when the user comesinto contact with the door or the door handle. Furthermore, in thepresent invention, the static electricity generated in the door and thedoor handle flows to the ground through the ground line connected to therefrigerator main body. Accordingly, the user can safely open and closethe door of the refrigerator without an unpleasant sensation.

According to the present invention as described above, the diode isprovided between the hinge and the ground line of the refrigeratorcircuit. Accordingly, the present invention has a basic technicalfeature in that even in the case that the wall outlet is not grounded,the leakage current flowing from the refrigerator main body isinterrupted and the static electricity generated in the door isdischarged to the outside of the refrigerator.

The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodimentdescribed and illustrated above but is defined by the appended claims.It will be apparent that those skilled in the art can make variousmodifications and changes thereto within the scope of the inventiondefined by the claims. Therefore, the true scope of the presentinvention should be defined by the technical spirit of the appendedclaims.

1. A leakage current interruption formation in a refrigerator,comprising: a ground line formed in power cord of a refrigerator circuitand connected to a main body of the refrigerator; a door hinge formed inthe refrigerator main body, the door hinge being a structure for openingand closing a refrigerator door; and a unidirectional switching elementformed between the ground line and the door hinge for interrupting aleakage current generated from the refrigerator main body.
 2. Theleakage current interruption formation as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe unidirectional switching element comprises a diode.